Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden, suggested in a recent interview that Democrats should “turn the temperature up” on discussions of extremism, while emphasizing he does not support political violence.
According to Fox News, while speaking on the Wide Awake Podcast earlier this month, host Joshua Rubin asked Biden whether both parties should reduce rhetoric around extremist activity, noting that tensions were “only escalating.” Biden responded, “No, we need to turn the temperature up. We need to turn the temperature up, and we need people to see it for what it is.”
Biden clarified that his comments did not endorse violence. “I 100% did not mean violence,” he said. “What I mean by turning the temperature up is we need to speak truth to power.” He added that Democrats in elected office, along with media figures, should more openly confront issues rather than letting them unfold through a slow, incremental process.
Biden criticized certain media coverage, singling out CNN host Jake Tapper for a text interview with President Donald Trump.
“You have people like Jake Tapper who are having hardball discussions with Donald Trump over text. Like, what the f— are you talking about, man? That’s not journalism. That’s a complete and utter abdication of responsibility as a journalist,” Biden said.
The criticism echoed previous remarks from MS NOW host Lawrence O’Donnell, who noted that CNN called the text conversation a “breaking news” exclusive, despite questions about its authenticity.
CNN defended Tapper, saying, “Jake Tapper is a journalist — CNN journalists will always take any opportunity to ask questions of those in power and share what we learn with our audience.”
Biden also criticized CNN host Abby Phillip and commentator Scott Jennings, accusing them of parroting administration talking points and spreading what he described as “verifiable lies.”
He argued that much of the media ecosystem is being “gobbled up by oligarchs,” and called for a more transparent and accountable approach to covering political and social issues.
“I want to get to the bottom faster rather than through this slow kind of process of just being picked apart — a death by a thousand cuts here,” Biden said, emphasizing his desire for more robust debate and scrutiny within his party.
